  Amgasper01 Member Username: Amgasper01 Post Number: 47 Registered: 02-2008 |
Does anyone else consider the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame an insult to your intelligence as a sports fan? It's location and complete lack of sports memorabilia are just a few of my concerns. For those of you who don't know, the Hall is located in a hallway leading to a loading dock in the bowels of Cobo Hall. The first time I went, there was a handicapped homeless woman walking the Hall crying and screaming because she couldn't find her way out of the building. Also, The Hall consists only of commemorative plaques and paintings of each athlete. However, they have failed to make paintings for dozens of the inductees, some of which were inducted as long ago as 2000 (Jim Northrup is an example). There are misspelled words on several plaques (Wimbledon is spelled "Wimbleton" on Joe Falls' plaque) and there is absolutely no memorabilia or game used items of any kind on display. I also failed to find the plaque of Jack Christiansen, whose daughter is a personal friend of mine, leading me to believe that not all inductees are even represented. Is there an honest vision for the future of the Hall? I see on their official web site that they are planning a permanent site. And I will now quote the Hall's web site: "Future plans for the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame call for a long-term home to be opened in time for the Super Bowl in 2006 to showcase the incredible athletes who have been enshrined.In addition to showcasing memorabilia from the career of the members,the new Hall will be highlighted by interactive displays that will help to preserve the rich history of sports in the state of Michigan." Is anyone else concerned about the time-line set in place here? | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 1229 Registered: 01-2006 |
I believe there was a plan to put it on the 2nd level of the First National Building before the Super Bowl. Perhaps if Ernie Harwell can close the deal on the whole OTSC plan we will see something with the MSHOF materialize. | ||
Richard_bak Member Username: Richard_bak Post Number: 37 Registered: 04-2008 |
It all comes down to money--and for all the hundreds of millions of dollars thrown around by local sports owners, they are incredibly tight-fisted when it comes to providing any kind of support to alumni groups and the MI Sports HOF. There has been some activity recently to move the Hall up a notch from its low-rent image (the annual inductees banquet is classier and better organized than it was) and that includes finding a new home for the plaques. There's been some talk of relocating the Hall to a retrofitted Tiger Stadium, should the Old TS Conservancy successfully save a portion of the old park. Then there'd be room to showcase memorabilia and have interactive displays for visitors. | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 1230 Registered: 01-2006 |
I think Mike Illitch and Bill Davidson do a very good job recognizing the history of their franchises, but why should they be fiscally responsible for the recognition of the teams from long before they owned them? Comerica Park's lower concourse is a Tigers museum of sorts, as is the JLA concourse (at least in pictures). I think the recognition, as in the sports hall of fame should be handled by another private group. | ||
Flyingj Member Username: Flyingj Post Number: 245 Registered: 08-2006 |
Well, there's always the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in Hamtramck... http://www.polishsportshof.com | ||
Amgasper01 Member Username: Amgasper01 Post Number: 48 Registered: 02-2008 |
^Haha sweet! I was not aware of that. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 2585 Registered: 10-2006 |
Here is the original thread on the 'relocation' of the Hall of Fame: Detroit Sports Hall of Fame set to move https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/62684/67229.html And here was a followup thread: Michigan Sports Hall of Fame https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/91697/91923.html | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 2586 Registered: 10-2006 |
Since then, some architecture firm has taken over the space (and some of the nicest two-story views of Campus Martius). Apparently they thought it was better as a private space overlooking Campus Martius than the idea of it being used as a location to honor Michigan athletes... |
